


Jelly

by fuckthenaysayers



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Arguing, Domestic Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-23 01:40:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7461618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckthenaysayers/pseuds/fuckthenaysayers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That's where he found him. Bitty on the floor, in front of his island counter. A jar was smashed in front of him, thick purple glop splattered across the floor among shards of glass. Bitty's hands were to his face, curled into tight fists pressed to his eyes, taking in quick, stuttered breaths. Jack's throat felt tight, unable to move until a choked sob escaped his boyfriend, and he burst into action.</p><p>(or the You found me crying on the kitchen floor in the middle of the night surrounded by a shattered jelly jar AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jelly

1:14 AM. Jack stared at the clock on his nightstand with bleary eyes, huffing a little in annoyance at his own body waking him up. Mind muddled with sleep, he sat up and shuffled to the connected bathroom, relieving himself and washing up quick before stumbling back to bed.

He was moments from just flopping into it when he noticed Bitty hadn't been next to him. The left side of the bed was completely made, untouched as it had been since Jack made it that morning. He sat on the side of it, grabbing his clock and rechecking the time. 1:20. Still somewhat sleepy, he debated on just trying to fall back asleep or check on Bitty.

They'd fought today. Long and rough, about their future and Jack's job and the stress hiding everything was putting on both of them. Jack wasn't okay with telling anyone just yet, Bitty was about ready to burst not letting anyone in. They just couldn't see eye to eye, and went to bed angry at each other. Or at least, Jack had gone to bed angry, it didn't seem like Bitty had slept yet.

He could've settled in the guest room, or maybe on the couch, but more than likely he was getting his anger out with baking. It was his best emotional outlet, and Jack always kept his kitchen well stocked. Concern won out anger, and Jack felt himself getting up and walking out of the room before he even decided on it.

Soft noise came from the kitchen, echoes of Beyonce slipping out despite the lower volume Bitty must've had it at. The song was emotional and Beyonce's voice was strained, singing of picture frames and sandcastles. Jack recognized it from her new album, the one Bitty had been listening to on repeat since it came out a few weeks ago. He stepped into the doorway, squinting a bit as the bright lights of his kitchen flooded his vision.

That's where he found him. Bitty on the floor, in front of his island counter. A jar was smashed in front of him, thick purple glop splattered across the floor among shards of glass. Bitty's hands were to his face, curled into tight fists pressed to his eyes, taking in quick, stuttered breaths. Jack's throat felt tight, unable to move until a choked sob escaped his boyfriend, and he burst into action.

He rounded the counter carefully, tiptoeing over glass and jelly, going the safe way around his kitchen and grasping Bitty tightly from behind on the shoulders. "Bitty, are you okay? Did you cut yourself? Show me your hands." His voice was thick with worry and the remnants of sleep that were quickly fading, panic flooding into its place. Bitty gasped for air, letting Jack turn him slightly and pull his hands away from his face.

"Jack." Was all he got out, his wide eyes welled with tears, nose scrunching as upset shook him. Tears flooded down his face as he began to wail, taking in short, staccato breaths in between as Jack gripped his hands, confused and worried. Jack worked his hands open, slight relief washing over him when he saw no cuts or nicks, but that didn't solve the main problem.

Bitty was still sobbing loudly, eyes scrunched tight and mouth parting for air every few seconds as he worked himself up. "Bitty, Bits. Breathe, Bits, it's okay." He whispered, shaky words that fell out of his mouth as he tried to make himself more useful, pulling Bitty into his lap and wrapping his arms around him tightly. He could feel Bitty take a deep breath before coughing out another painful wail, his hands clutching at Jack's shirt.

Jack cradled his head, letting Bitty sob into his chest, his other hand rubbing slow circles into Bitty's back as he began to whisper to him. "It's okay. I'm here. I'm here, Bits." Like a mantra, he repeated those, slow and gentle, his heart twinging as Bitty's body wracked with sobs. He slowed, and stopped, eventually, his breathing evening out with the occasional hiccup slipping through.

When he pulled away, his eyes were red, lids and cheeks puffy and raw from the tears, and a heart-wrenching frown still pulled across his lips. Jack leaned in, kissing him gently. Once, then twice, and again. Bitty responded after the second, half-hearted but still there. "Sorry." he mumbled when his lips were free, a hand moving up to rub at the tears that still clung to his lashes.

"No, I'm sorry. I know this is hard, and I want nothing more than to tell the whole world about us, I just can't do that yet." Eric shook his head a little in return, but Jack stilled him, hands cupping Bitty's face. "I love you, Bits. I'm so proud to have you as my boyfriend, and I can't wait for the day we can tell everyone. If... If it will help you to tell someone you trust, then I trust you to do that."

Bitty sniffled, wiping at tears that threatened to fall again, looking at Jack hesitantly. "I love you too, Jack. It's been.... well, I can't lie, it's been tough sometimes. But that would really help. I was thinking of telling Lardo, you know how good she is at... well, everything." He laughed a little, Jack chuckling as well and nodding.

"I'm sure we could count on Lardo to keep this under wraps. Honestly, it'll be pretty nice to have her cover for us when I come visit too." Bitty smiled at that, and Jack felt his heart settle in his chest again for the first time since he woke up. Looking over Bitty's shoulder, he caught sight of the purple mess that now covered his kitchen tiles and recalled what he'd first seen when he came in. "Now that that's settled, care to explain the jelly?"

Bitty's eyebrows shot up in realization, furrowing worriedly as he remembered what he'd been doing. "Oh Jack, I'm so sorry! That's, that's the blackberry jelly I made you the first time I made your pre-game PB&J. After some anger baking, there's two trays of mini muffins cooling by the way, I was gonna make a midnight snack of jelly and toast and I just... dropped it."

Jack laughed under his breath, pulling Bitty closer, their foreheads pressing together. "And that led to you having a breakdown on the floor next to it?" He asked, Bitty flushing slightly in embarrassment, his eyes cast down.

"Well, there's memories attached to that jelly, ya know? It was the first time I made jelly, first time I made your PB&J for you, the first thing I left here after my first visit. And then I got scared you'd think I did it on purpose, out of anger or something, and I just started getting upset." Jack tilted his chin up, catching Bitty's gaze before kissing him again, gentle and loving.

"I would never think that." He promised after parting their lips. "And even if you did, I would never be mad at you for that, I know we got heated yesterday. You can break all my jelly if that'd make you feel better." Bitty giggled at the idea, giving Jack a look.

"Oh no Mister Zimmermann, I made most of those jellies myself, I can't waste anymore." Jack just nodded in reply, kissing Bitty again and standing up, cupping Bitty's bottom before setting him down on the counter. Bitty kept him close with a tight grip on his shirt before eventually letting go when Jack pulled away.

"Stay there for a second, I'm gonna clean this up." A few more kisses quieted any arguing from Bitty, Jack wandering off to the pantry to get a broom and dustpan while Bitty grabbed his phone. The song had changed to XO, his Beyonce playlist still echoing around the room. He turned it up a little, sharing a smile with Jack as he began to sing along. Jack just grinned, sweeping up the glass and jelly and humming along happily.

The next day was mostly spent in the kitchen, Bitty showing his affection by meal prepping for Jack for the next couple weeks as Jack trained and exercised. He'd have to drive Bitty back before dinner, but knowing a warm meal was waiting for him in the crock pot softened the blow a little. After dinner he was sure to skype Bitty and laud his praises on him, telling him how it almost felt like he was still there when he ate Bitty's cooking.

He had a couple mini-muffins the next morning for breakfast, and lunch was his traditional pre-game PB&J, all wrapped and waiting in his lunch bag in the fridge, a brand new jar of blackberry jelly cooling next to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt taken from this list by kenaiskoda
> 
> http://kenaiskoda.tumblr.com/post/119898437912/established-relationship-aus


End file.
